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Netflix goes to the mat integrating brands into its Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight

Celsius and DraftKings are among the match’s presenting sponsors.
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Netflix

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Netflix’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson live boxing match is just a few weeks away, and the streamer has finally unveiled its presenting sponsors.

Celsius, DraftKings, Meta Quest, Experian, and beer maker Spaten will all serve as presenting sponsors for the fight, as well as any programming related to the matchup, Magno Herran, Netflix’s VP of global marketing partnerships, revealed this week at Variety’s Content Meets Commerce Summit in New York.

Some of the sponsors will be featured in the match through mat placements and other logo integrations throughout the broadcast, Herran said. A segment during the broadcast called “Essential Energy Highlight of the Fight” will be sponsored by Celsius, DraftKings will share betting odds and other information during a sponsored segment called “Tale of the Bet,”Meta Quest and Experian will present segments before the fight, and Spaten will facilitate watch parties, Netflix President of Advertising Amy Reinhard told Ad Age.

It’s all a part of Netflix’s push to integrate brands into its growing library of unscripted live content, Herran said, and comes as the company has put an increased focus on growing its ads business.

“Unscripted is very much an opportunity,” Herran said at the summit. “We have some exciting things coming down the line.”

Just wing it

Netflix has been experimenting with brand integrations in live unscripted content throughout the year. In January, it announced a partnership with Cupcake Vineyards around its show Love is Blind, with a “Love is Wine” chardonnay and a related campaign starring former Love is Blind contestants.

And it’s been experimenting with unscripted shows to help boost engagement. In May, Netflix livestreamed the comedy special The Roast of Tom Brady, which attracted 22 million views between January and June, according to Netflix. Netflix didn’t strike up any brand partnerships around that particular program because “they wanted it to be the raunchiest roast that they’d ever had,” Herran said onstage. “We thought, let’s give brands a break from the potential backlash.”

There is more unscripted live programming besides fight night. Later this year, Netflix will air two NFL games on Christmas Day, with broadcasts produced by CBS Sports.

Expect more to come. “We’ve gone deep in sports in the unscripted space, and so we think that’s going to be a growing thing,” Herran said.

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